Recycling of Waste Mixed Plastics Blends (PE/PP)

Abstract

Garbage and waste became lately one of the biggest problem in Lebanon since the population increased to 6 million in 2019. This project aim is to develop an efficient method to reuse plastic packages that are used in our daily life. A machine is designed to recycle and mix the Polypropylene (PP) and the Polyethylene (PE), commonly used in packages. Different specimens of these polymers were prepared by varying the percentage of each component. The propylene diene monomer (EPDM) was used as a compatiblizer in the blends preparation. Mechanical properties were selected to estimate the compatibilization efficiency of EPDM. Addition of EPDM to PE/PP blends improved mechanical properties, especially the elongation at break.